It is well known that most computer programs can be controlled by the user either by means of the “mouse” or using the keyboard, by pressing the single keys to which are associated specific program management functions. The use of the keyboard for these purposes is even more necessary in the case of video-games, inasmuch as the relevant means of control, called “joystick”, thanks to which many or all the game functions can be easily and intuitively performed, is not always available for each game.
Each computer program, especially each video-game, nevertheless has a specific set of functions different from the others and, in any case, the association of certain functions with single keys or combinations of keys, can vary from program to program and among the numerous video games currently available.
Consequently, it becomes rather problematic to try and memorize such function-key associations for all the various programs or video-games, with the result that wrong keys are pressed and reference often has to be made to operator's manuals with a consequent waste of time.
Some attempts have already been made to make it easier to identify the keys associated with the various program or video-game functions. For example, the use has been suggested of adhesive labels to be fitted to the single keys indicating the corresponding function, or entire masks to be superimposed on the keyboards. These labels are however hard to remove once they have been fitted to the keys and, what is more, as time passes, they become discolored and practically impossible to read, while the masks have the disadvantage of associating single keys to functions when in fact, very often, several keys can perform the same function, especially in the case of video-games, so as to provide various possible ways of using the keyboard.